1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications involving active implantable medical devices, and more particularly, to apparatuses and methods for optimizing the retrieval of data from active implantable medical devices.
2. Background
Modern active implantable medical devices, such as neurostimulators, pacemakers, and ICDs, are capable of not only monitoring patient condition and delivering therapy, but are capable of storing detailed data and diagnostics relating to a patient's condition for later retrieval. Analysis of this data can improve patient care dramatically, and allow fine-tuning the performance of the implantable devices by programming them with new operational parameters. Interrogation of an implantable medical device allows data stored in the device to be retrieved by an external device. After analysis, reprogramming the device allows its performance to be optimized based on the interrogated data.
An active implantable medical device can store data, for later retrieval, that are useful for assessment of the patient's medical status and for determining the operational status of the implantable medical device. Retrieval of such data, however, requires establishment of communications links between the implantable medical device and an external device. Such communications may consume significant implantable medical device energy, which may reduce the longevity of the implantable medical device. Furthermore, an implantable medical device has limited memory for storing patient data. As such, infrequent retrieval of patent data from an implantable medical device may cause the implantable medical device to stop storing data, or to overwrite older data in order to store new data.
It would be desirable to provide mechanisms that optimize the retrieval of patient data in a manner that reduces implantable medical device energy consumption and prevents loss of stored patient data. The concepts disclosed below address these needs and others.